Linear Appraisal Guide for Dairy Goats
Linear appraisal (LA) is a standardized evaluation system where a trained ADGA appraiser scores your dairy goats on specific physical traits related to longevity, production, and structural correctness. Unlike show ring placings (which rank goats against each other), LA scores evaluate each goat against an ideal standard. A goat appraised at home is scored on the same scale as one at a national show.
Why LA Matters
- Objective data: Unlike show ring placings that depend on who else is in the ring, LA scores measure each goat independently against a breed standard
- Breeding decisions: LA reveals structural strengths and weaknesses that inform mate selection. A doe with a weak mammary score should be bred to a buck whose dam excelled in mammary.
- Herd improvement: Tracking LA scores across generations shows whether your breeding program is making progress
- Marketing: Buyers pay premium prices for goats from herds with strong LA histories. A doe with VG or EX mammary system is more valuable than one with no appraisal data.
- Permanent record: ADGA records LA scores permanently, contributing to genetics databases used for sire summaries and breed improvement
The Scoring System
Each goat receives scores in four major categories, plus an overall final score.
Final Score Scale
| Score Range | Designation | Abbreviation |
|---|---|---|
| 90 to 97 | Excellent | EX |
| 85 to 89 | Very Good | VG |
| 80 to 84 | Good Plus | G+ |
| 75 to 79 | Good | G |
| 70 to 74 | Acceptable | A |
| 65 to 69 | Fair | F |
| 60 to 64 | Poor | P |
First fresheners (does in their first lactation) are typically scored more leniently because they are still maturing. A first freshener scoring VG 85 is exceptional. Most experienced does in well-bred herds fall in the G+ to VG range (80 to 89).
The Four Categories
| Category | Weight | What It Measures |
|---|---|---|
| General Appearance | ~35% | Overall balance, breed character, stature, strength, front end, back, rump |
| Dairy Strength | ~20% | Angularity, openness of rib, dairy character — the physical traits that indicate a doe can produce and sustain high milk volumes |
| Body Capacity | ~10% | Barrel depth, width, and heart girth — room for feed intake and rumen capacity |
| Mammary System | ~35% | Udder depth, texture, attachment (fore and rear), teat placement and size, medial suspensory ligament |
Mammary system and general appearance together account for about 70% of the final score. This makes sense: a doe needs a well-attached, functional udder and sound structure to produce milk over a long productive life.
Key Traits Explained
Mammary system (the most important category)
- Fore udder attachment: How strongly the front of the udder is attached to the body wall. Strong, wide attachment means the udder will hold up over multiple lactations.
- Rear udder height and width: High, wide rear attachment distributes weight better and resists breakdown.
- Medial suspensory ligament: The ligament that runs between the two halves of the udder, creating the center crease. A strong MSL keeps the udder up close to the body.
- Udder depth: The floor of the udder relative to the hocks. An udder that drops below the hocks is prone to injury and mastitis. Ideally the udder floor is above the hocks.
- Teat placement: Teats should point straight down and be centered under each half of the udder. Side-pointing or widely splayed teats are harder to milk.
General appearance
- Stature: Height relative to breed standard. Evaluated but not penalized heavily — functional correctness matters more than size.
- Rump: Should be long, wide, and nearly level with a slight slope from hips to pins. Steep rumps can cause kidding difficulties.
- Feet and legs: Strong pasterns, correct leg set (not post-legged or sickle-hocked), tight toes. Structural soundness determines how long a doe can walk to the milking parlor and back.
Preparing for Appraisal
- Schedule: ADGA appraisals are scheduled regionally. Contact your local ADGA director or check the ADGA website for the schedule in your area. Sign up early — appraisers book up.
- Eligibility: Does must be in milk (freshened) to receive a full appraisal. Dry does and bucks can be appraised for general appearance only.
- Clip: Clip your does before appraisal day. The appraiser needs to see and feel the mammary system clearly. At minimum, clip the udder, belly, and escutcheon area. Full body clips help the appraiser evaluate dairy character.
- Milk timing: Have your does milked 12 hours before appraisal for the best udder fill. A doe milked 4 hours ago will have a partly empty udder that does not show capacity. A doe not milked for 24 hours may be uncomfortably full and distorted.
- Practice handling: Your goat needs to stand calmly and walk on a lead. Practice in the weeks before so appraisal day goes smoothly.
Using LA Data in Your Breeding Program
LA scores are most valuable when tracked across generations and used systematically for mate selection.
- Record each doe's scores by category, not just the final score
- Identify the weakest category for each doe — that is what you breed to improve
- Select bucks whose dams and sisters excelled in the categories where your does are weakest
- Track whether daughters score higher than their dams in the target categories — this confirms your breeding strategy is working
- Over time, consistent LA evaluation and selection will move your herd's average scores upward
Track LA scores for your whole herd
Herd Manager stores linear appraisal scores on each goat's profile, tracks scores across appraisals, and displays final scores with category breakdowns. See how your herd's conformation improves over generations.
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